Da Ming: I told you to die for your cause, why are you actually going to die?

Chapter 126 Your Majesty! A fight has broken out! A fight has broken out! [Requesting monthly votes]

Jiang Huan's Embroidered Spring Blade suddenly drew half a foot from its sheath, its cold light flashing in the dim prison, and a chilling killing intent instantly spread.

The Imperial Guards behind him also placed their hands on their sword hilts, creating a tense atmosphere.

"Zhang Biao! You really think I wouldn't dare kill you?!"

Jiang Huan's voice was like ice shards, every word carrying a chilling coldness.

However, Zhang Biao was not intimidated by this display of power; instead, he laughed even more wildly.

He even stepped forward, stretching his neck slightly forward, as if inviting the other party to strike:

"Kill me? Jiang Huan, is this the first time you've met Zhang Biao?"

"From the day I stepped into the Fengtian Hall, I never thought I would leave alive!"

"Audit the internal treasury? Ha, you think I'm just talking?"

"Let me tell you, I've already made all the arrangements! As long as I die, tomorrow all sorts of little notes about Zhu Chongba's ugly face will be plastered all over the Qinhuai River!!"

"At that time, everyone in the world will know that their great Hongwu Emperor was a miser who would even steal the things of the dead!"

"Guess who will finish cleaning up the notes first, or will Zhu Chongba's face be thrown into the latrine first?"

His words came out like a machine gun, fast and ruthless, each sentence like a heavy hammer blow to Jiang Huan's heart.

Jiang Huan's face turned extremely ugly.

He knew that this madman in front of him was absolutely capable of doing it.

Moreover, given his unorthodox methods, no one can say for sure how many backup plans he has.

Although the emperor is bloodthirsty, he also cherishes his reputation. If Zhang Biao were to expose the news of the emperor robbing a criminal's property in such an extreme way, the consequences would be dire.
Jiang Huan's knuckles turned white from gripping the hilt of the knife, but the half-drawn blade remained undrawn for a long time.

He stared intently at Zhang Biao, as if he wanted to tear him to pieces with his gaze.

Li Jinglong, standing to the side, was so frightened that he huddled up in a ball, wishing he could disappear into the ground.

Guo Ying was also shocked as she watched Zhang Biao confront Jiang Huan head-on, refusing to give an inch. A complex emotion flashed in her cloudy old eyes.

Even Zhu Gaosui, who was pretending to look up at the sky, forgot his pretense and stared wide-eyed at this breathtaking scene, inwardly screaming:

[Brother Biao is awesome! He's fucking brutal!]

A stalemate, a suffocating stalemate.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the murderous intent in Jiang Huan's eyes slowly subsided, but the coldness intensified.

He pushed the embroidered spring knife back into its sheath very slowly, making a teeth-grinding scraping sound.

"Zhang Biao!"

Jiang Huan's voice returned to its flat tone, yet it was even more unsettling: "I will report every word you say to the Emperor. You'd better watch yourself!"

Having said that, he stopped looking at Zhang Biao and coldly ordered his subordinates, "Take Marquis Wuding away!"

Two guards immediately stepped forward and lifted Guo Ying up.

As Guo Ying was being dragged out of the cell, he looked back at Zhang Biao one last time. His eyes were incredibly complex, filled with resentment, fear, disbelief, and even a tiny, almost imperceptible, hope.

Jiang Huan, with his men and Guo Ying in tow, disappeared heavily into the darkness deep within the imperial prison.

The oppressive atmosphere eased slightly, but remained heavy.

Li Jinglong collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, as if he had just escaped from the brink of death.

Zhu Gaosui quickly lowered his head and continued to pretend to study the patterns on the floor tiles of the imperial prison, but he could probably hear his own heart pounding.

Zhang Biao acted as if nothing had happened, clapped his hands, dusted off non-existent dust, sat back down in the corner, and even picked up the unfinished glass of wine and took a sip.

"Tsk, boring."

He muttered something, as if the conflict that had almost escalated into a bloodbath was just a boring everyday squabble.

But his gaze fell once more on the still-shaken Li Jinglong across from him, and a chilling smile returned to his face—a smile that sent shivers down Li Jinglong's spine, as if he were inspecting his own warehouse.
"Lord Li"

Li Jinglong shuddered violently, almost jumping up: "Yes, yes! What are your orders, Imperial Censor Zhang?"

"Look, the old Marquis has donated two things, shouldn't you also show your appreciation? You can't be biased!"

Zhang Biao smiled and rubbed his hands together, saying, "Regarding that set of glass wine utensils we were talking about, do you have any other matching pieces? Like glass lamps, glass bowls, or something? Let's make a set, it'll look nice!"

Li Jinglong: "."

All he wants to do right now is cry.

How come this madman's appetite is getting bigger and bigger?!

On the other side, outside Chengtian Gate.

The huge square was already bustling with people.

Today is not a grand court assembly, but the court discussion that will be held in the Fengtian Hall is captivating the hearts of countless people.

Unlike the previous group of upright officials who gathered alone in a "tragic" manner, the composition of the people gathered this time was much more complex.

Besides the civil official group represented by certain censors of the Censorate, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, doctors, and some members of the Hanlin Academy, there were also a large number of Imperial Academy students who were secretly instigated to come.

These young students were mostly passionate and well-read, valuing the "moral tradition" and the "respect of the imperial court" above all else, and were easily swayed.

At this moment, they were filled with righteous indignation, holding banners that had been hastily made overnight that read "Uphold the sacred learning" and "Execute the traitor Zhang Biao." Led by several young censors and scholars, they shouted slogans and made a great show of force.

"Execute Zhang Biao and restore order to the court!"

"Defend sacred teachings, eliminate evil!"

"Your Majesty is wise; such a madman must not be tolerated!"

"."

The crowd was outraged, and voices of agreement rose and fell.

They meticulously prepared a memorial impeaching Zhang Biao, listing countless crimes, from slandering the emperor and undermining the foundation of the state to disrupting the court and forming cliques for personal gain. They were determined to nail Zhang Biao to the pillar of historical shame.

However, just as they were gathering their emotions and preparing to step into Chengtian Gate in the most 'tragic' manner, a series of dull and chaotic footsteps came from the edge of the square like rolling thunder.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, and their expressions changed drastically.

A dense, dark mass of people was pouring in from all the street corners.

Many of them carried pots and pans, tables and chairs, hoes and forks, and some even held rusty knives and guns.

The leader was a veteran who had lost an arm.

He was holding up a table leg with one arm, his eyes bloodshot, roaring furiously:

"It's them! It's these officials in their robes! They're trying to harm Zhang Qingtian!"

"Brothers! Censor Zhang just helped us get some of our hard-earned money back, and they're already trying to slander him to the Emperor and kill him! What kind of logic is this!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the veterans behind him immediately echoed his sentiments.

"Yes! We can't let them succeed!"

"Imperial Censor Zhang is a good man! A good official!"

"Anyone who wants to harm Zhang Qingtian will have to step over our dead bodies first!"

"."

The veterans were filled with righteous indignation. They may not understand the power struggles in the court, but they were stubbornly convinced of their principles.

Zhang Biao helped them get back the wages they owed, even if it was just to pay off their debts, it gave them a glimmer of hope and warmth.

Now someone wants to kill Zhang Biao; that person is their enemy.

An uproar immediately broke out among the civil service officials. They had never seen anything like it before.

These crude brutes and poor soldiers actually dared to storm Chengtian Gate?
They even dare to brandish weapons at these noble civil officials!?
"They've rebelled! They've rebelled! They've really rebelled!"

An old scholar, trembling with rage, pointed at the surging crowd: "You uncouth and vulgar warriors, how dare you storm the palace! You disturb His Majesty's presence! What is your punishment!"

Another Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, also shocked and furious, forced himself to remain calm and shouted, "Insolence! This is outside Chengtian Gate, a vital national site! You shall all leave immediately! Otherwise, you shall be punished for treason!"

"Treason? We just want justice!"

The one-armed veteran didn't retreat an inch; instead, he led his men forward, closing in.

"You officials, eating the emperor's grain and drinking the soldiers' blood, now you want to kill good officials who speak up for the people?! Even if we die here today, we will stop you!"

"Yes! Stop them!"

"We can't let them go in and harm Imperial Censor Zhang!"

"."

The veterans surged forward like a tide, instantly scattering the civilian officials' ranks.

The area is closed.

"Oh dear! My official tablet!"

"This is an insult to scholarship! An insult to scholarship indeed!"

"Don't push! This is my official hat!"

"My memorial to the throne! It's ruined!"

The civil officials exclaimed in surprise, how could they possibly be a match for these veterans who had practiced martial arts for many years?
He was immediately pushed and shoved, his official hat fell off, his official tablet flew away, and his carefully prepared memorial was trampled into the mud.

Some tried to reason with them, but were frightened by the veterans' angry gazes and the waving table legs and spatulas, and retreated repeatedly.

Even worse, several hot-tempered veterans who had risen from the ranks of low-ranking military officers were so enraged by the fact that these civilian officials dared to talk back that they started fighting.

"Snapped!"

A broken chair leg landed at the feet of a censor who was rambling on and on, startling him so much that he screamed and jumped away.

"Wow!"

A thick stack of Xuan paper, filled with accusations against Zhang Biao, was snatched away by an old soldier, torn to shreds, and thrown into the air.

"I told you not to impeach me! I told you not to talk nonsense!"

"I'll beat you heartless officials to death!"

The civil officials were completely panicked, crying and screaming as they fled in terror.

The solemn and tragic atmosphere from just now vanished, leaving only utter disarray and absurdity.

A bizarre and outrageous brawl unfolded in front of Chengtian Gate.

On one side were the disheveled, panicked, and utterly disrespectful civil officials.

On one side are veterans and civilians burning with anger, wielding all sorts of bizarre weapons, and defending "Zhang Qingtian".

In the middle were scattered official hats, tablets, torn memorials, and flying table and chair legs, as well as pots and pans.
It's truly a case of a scholar encountering a soldier; even if one is reasonable, one cannot reason with them.

The Imperial Guards and the generals in charge of guarding the area were dumbfounded and didn't know what to do.

Stop them? Whom should we help? These civil officials certainly deserve a beating, but these veterans storming the palace is also a serious crime.

Forget it, let's just watch the show first. Anyway, someone will report to the Emperor.

Meanwhile, at the Huagai Hall.

Just as Emperor Zhu was dressed in his dragon robe with the help of palace maids and eunuchs, preparing to attend court, Jiang Huan's voice rang out from outside the door.

"emperor!"

"Well, come in."

Old Zhu calmly gave an order, and Jiang Huan walked in from outside the door.

He respectfully handed over a memorial, and said solemnly:
"Your Majesty, Marquis Guo Ying of Wuding has made a preliminary confession, admitting that he did indeed collude with several people from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War in matters related to the purchase of military equipment and the accounts of military farms. This is his preliminary confession, and we request Your Majesty to review it."

Yunming stepped forward, took the document, and respectfully handed it to Old Zhu.

Old Zhu took it expressionlessly and slowly opened it.

His gaze, like the finest sieve, swept quickly over every single word.

When he saw the specific amount and methods by which Guo Ying embezzled, his eyes twitched slightly, but he did not react immediately.

It wasn't until he saw the part about 'donating' the treasure to Zhang Biao, and Zhang Biao's absurd 'treatment', that his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Hmph, the Seven-Star Gem Knife? Wang Baobao's old possession? That old codger certainly knows how to keep things to himself."

Old Zhu's voice was deep and cold, revealing no emotion, but those who knew him well understood what storm was brewing beneath the calm.

"Jiang Huan".

"The minister is here."

"Immediately search and confiscate the Marquis of Wuding's residence, register and seal all his property, and arrest all those involved in the case and imprison him for trial. Once the knife is found, send it to the Imperial Treasury."

His commands were concise, clear, and unquestionable, carrying with them a sense of self-righteous possessiveness.

"Sir, obey the order."

Jiang Huan responded, but remained kneeling on the ground and did not get up.

Old Zhu raised his eyelids, his unfathomable eyes looking at Jiang Huan: "Is there anything else?"

He knew Jiang Huan well; he would never hesitate like this unless it was something extremely important or difficult.

Jiang Huan lowered his head even further, his voice remaining steady, but his pace slowed slightly, and his wording was extremely cautious, avoiding any words that might directly anger the emperor, offering only the most objective account:
“Your Majesty, when I was escorting Guo Ying away, Zhang Biao tried to stop me. He claimed that the items Guo Ying ‘donated’ already belonged to him. He also said that if Your Majesty forcibly took them, he might take drastic measures.”

"An extraordinary measure?"

Old Zhu's voice suddenly rose a notch, carrying a dangerously playful tone:

"What extraordinary things could he possibly do? Does he intend to throw a tantrum in the imperial prison?"

Jiang Huan paused for a moment, as if carefully choosing his words, and finally chose a relatively vague but threatening expression:
“He claimed that he had a backup plan. If he were to die, there would be writings about the imperial treasury and the imperial family’s reputation circulating among the common people, which would be difficult to eradicate quickly.”

He did not repeat the words that angered Zhu Yuanzhang, such as "auditing the imperial treasury" and "miser," but the phrases "related to the imperial treasury and the imperial family's reputation" and "difficult to eliminate quickly" were enough to accurately hit Zhu Yuanzhang's most sensitive nerve.

As soon as Jiang Huan finished speaking, the air in the hall instantly dropped to freezing point.

Old Zhu didn't speak again, but slowly and rhythmically tapped the armrest of the dragon throne with his fingers.

Ta. Ta. Ta.
Each soft sound was like a heavy hammer blow to the hearts of Jiang Huan and the surrounding eunuchs and palace maids, suffocating them.

In the midst of this suffocating silence, a sudden, urgent commotion arose outside the hall, accompanied by the low, menacing voices of the guards.

Immediately afterwards, a Jinyiwei commander on duty practically tumbled and crawled to the palace gate, only to be stopped by a eunuch.

Yunming immediately strode out, asked a few questions in a low voice, and his face instantly turned extremely ugly.

A short while later, he hurried back, knelt down before Old Zhu, and his voice trembled slightly:

"Your Majesty, something has happened outside Chengtian Gate!"

……

Asking for a monthly ticket~
　There will be one more bonus chapter, it will be later.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)